The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-05-12
MAKING BROOMS.
ANOTHER INDUSTRY FOR THE
TWIN CITY.

Ihe importance OF Forsyth County
Farmers Engaging in the Cultivation
of Broom Corn.
A short while since the Salem Broom
Factory of Messrs. Cherish, Senseman
& Co., began in Salem the manufac-
ture OF the indispensable household
article-the broom.
In order to better equip themselves
for engaging regularly in the industry,
brief .'shut down" was necessary.
During the past few weeks they have
again started up, and before we know
it "Salem brooms' will go out into the
world to share the praise now meeted
out to "Salem sawmills," "Winston
cigars" winston plug and the va
rious other products of our industry.
A brush and /, :oom factory, on the
cooperative plan, was established in
Lynchburg sometime ago, and has been
SO successful that new machinery will
at an early day, be introduced in or
der to meet the rapidly increasing de-
mand from all sections for the supe-
rior work turned out. The demand
has, from the first, been far in excess
of the supply. There is no reason
why such factories ought not flourish
as well here in the Twin City as in
Lychburg, and they will.
A few hints to the farmer as to the
culture of broom corn may be of inter-
est, inasmuch as it is easily raised, and
commands q reader sale, at better
prices, than any inferior grade of to-
bacco. The land is prepared in the
same way as for Indian corn, and the
seeds should be sown very thickly, in
drills four feet apart. The more
thickly it is sown the smaller and bet
tea the brush will be. The seed should
be planted in the spring, (not too ear
ly). Much depends upon good Guilt
walton and the absence of weeds. As
soon as the seeds begin to turn red
the broom corn should be cut, as after
that period the brush will be brittle
and OF little value. On the other hand,
the green color always commands
ready sale at good prices. In cutting,
one hand goes ahead TO "table," by
the cutters. The tabling consists in
bending the stalks of two rows diago-
,,o1Ixy ooob oil oh
feet from the ground. The brush
projects beyond the row, and is then
cut and laid on the table, thus formed,
to dry. Stalk enough should be left
to make the brush not less than eigh-
teen inches, and upon the larger and
better qualities about three inches of
the stalk should be left. The seeds
should all be stripped off when the corn
is green, as this process is much easier
then than at later period. Posts
can be set in the ground and cross
pieces attached, SO as to form sort of
table, upon which the straw is laid
with the brush projecting. To get the
seed out is the next thing. The cheap
est way is to get a piece of tough hick-
ory, foot and six inches wide, and
saw teeth three inches deep and one
quarter of an inch in width. The
teeth should grow gradually smaller
towards the end, something on the
style of comb. 1t should be cured
in tobacco barns, in quantities not too
large to mould, and when thoroughly
dry, baled like hay or cotton, as tightly
as possible, and transported to mar
ket
The soil around Winston-Salem is
admirably adapted to the growth of
broom corn. 1t is paying crop, and
does not impoverish the land.
It is claimed for broom corn that it
can be made more profitable crop
than either corn OF cotton. One bushel
Of seed will plant twelve acres, and
the usual yield of seed is fifty-fve or
sixty bushels. The cost of cultivation
is about the same as Indian corn.
The yield of broom corn is from four
hundred 10 one thousand pounds to
the acre. Those going into the bust
ness for profit should begin with five
or ten acres The seed is an import
ant part of the crop, forming an excel
lent food for stock.
Our country friends will readily see